Orange County blaze chars 30 acres; 1 firefighter injured

A helicopter drops water on the so-called Baker fire in Orange County near the Cleveland National Forest.

A helicopter drops water on the so-called Baker fire in Orange County near the Cleveland National Forest. (Al Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Jack Leonard

A firefighter suffered minor injuries and one building was damaged Sunday as a blaze charred 30 acres in Silverado, an unincorporated area of southeast Orange County, authorities said.

The injured firefighter was taken to a hospital for treatment to his ankle, said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi.

He said the damaged structure was an outbuilding. No homes are threatened, Concialdi said, and authorities hope to keep the so-called Baker fire to less than 100 acres.

About 125 firefighters from departments across Orange County and beyond were battling the fire on Sunday afternoon. They were aided by helicopters and air tankers.

The fire started at about 10:10 a.m. in a large mulch pile at a nursery in the 27900 block of Baker Canyon Road, Concialdi said. The area is near the edge of the Cleveland National Forest.

Concialdi said the fire spread despite efforts to keep the flames in check. He said the blaze was driven by steady Santa Ana winds of about 10 mph and that conditions were dry, with relative humidity at a low 7%.